Dil Dhadakne Do *** : Movie Review by Ajay Shastri

Rating: 3/5 Stars (Three stars)

Star Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Ranveer Singh, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah

What’s Good: The Mehra’s are classy wi dil dhadakne do 2 th their tastes and it is fun to unlearn the warped problems of this dysfunctional family. The performances are good enough to sail this cruise.

What’s Bad: A not-so-perfect plot that drags for two and a half hours with not one chart buster to enjoy.

Loo break: You could use one!

Watch or Not?: Dil Dhadakne Do is not a massy film and that is where it may lose a good chunk of its audience. The film has a distinctive approach towards familial bonds and that may not go well with everyone.

Kamal Mehra is a millionaire who is facing bankruptcy with his company AYKA. Trying to fix the issue he plans to call his friends and family on an exquisite cruise citing his 30th anniversary as the reason for celebration. Through this tour Kamal and Neelam plan to set their son Kabir up with Nurrie, the daughter of richie rich Lalit Sood. The planner of this cruise and Kamal’s daughter Ayesha is a successful entrepreneur who is facing a rough patch in her marriage with Manav which gets aggravated after having her ex-lover and best friend Sunny Gill on the tour.

In the mean while, Kabir is born with a silver spoon, the heir of Mehras but while his parents want him to fall in line of the business, he dreams of becoming a pilot. On the cruise, Kabir meets a free spirited Farah Ali who he is attracted to him right in the first go. Thus, the cruise turns out to be an eye opener for many relationships as emotions come out in the open for this classy Punjabi family.

Will Kabir convince his parents about his choice or will he give in to the pressure and marry Nurrie? Will Ayesha end her marriage to get back with her ex-lover? Watch Dil Dhadakne Do to find it out.

Dil Dhadakne Do Review: Script Analysis

What sets Dil Dhadakne Do apart from any other family dramas is that it delves into relationships much more than just family as a unit. The multi-layered plot of the film gives us the right insights into oftenly masked emotions that gather over 30 years of marriage or for that matter the advised we hurl at our siblings when either of them has tasted the bitter truths of life. Above all, Zoya and Reema’s writing proves that no matter which class you come from, there is always the ‘log kya kahenge’ mentality.

Interestingly, through Ayesha’s character, she throws light on how difficult it is for a self-made successful woman to break the shackles of marriage at a point when she realizes that there is not much emotion left in it. Also on the other hand it is her pompous husband Manav who even in the 21st century finds it important to have a say in the career decisions of his wife. It is quite clear from the start that this cruise is not a palatable one for the masses since it is a tell all on the lives of those affluent, yet I would say it has something in store for everyone when it comes down to brother-sister or father-daughter or mother-son relations.

There are also certain drawbacks in the story and they are quite evident in the last part of the film where the end seems to be packed up too quick. It is nothing you can compare to her previous works, it may not be as polished content wise as those but a decent attempt.

Dil Dhadakne Do Review: Star Performances

The film being a multi-starrer, balances quite well when it comes to the performances.

Anil Kapoor as Kamal Mehra is a perfect choice. As the self-made businessman who loves talking about it, he is brilliant. There are certain scenes where he shines like the conversation over Ayesha’s marriage.

Ranveer Singh as Kabir Mehra is quite impressive. He bounces back from his previous dull films – Kill Dil and Gunday. He adds the right comic elements when needed and shares a great chemistry with Anushka Sharma. He is brilliant in a scene where he confronts his parents about their dysfunctional relations as a unit.

Priyanka Chopra as Ayesha Mehra is impressive. She emotes well and you truly feel her frustration. Post Mary Kom this has been a good role for her.

Shefali Shah as Neelam is excellent. As the super elite, classy mother, she does a fine job.

Anushka Sharma as Farah Ali is average. There is not much to explore when it comes to her character.

Farhan Akhtar does a cameo as Sunny Gill and he is an absolute delight.

Rahul Bose as Ayesha’s husband Manav plays the irritating and pompous husband who cares little about his wife’s aspirations. In spite of the Mehra’s standing tall, Manav’s character is proud and headstrong. Bose does a good a job at and an actor of his caliber can certainly pull off such a role easily.

The supporting cast of Riddhima Sud, Vikrant Massey, Parmit Sethi are well fit for their roles. Mr. Pluto Mehra is another show stealer when it comes to the performance and who is Pluto and why is he important will be quite clear once you watch the film.

A special mention to Aamir Khan. For what you need to watch and find out!

Dil Dhadakne Do Review: Direction, Editing and Screenplay

Zoya Akhtar takes the film’s story quite wide geographically and hence as the story keeps moving from the cruise, into the territories of Istanbul, Italy, the scenes are a visual delight. The cinematography is brilliant and each frame looks bright as most scenes are shot in day light. The major problem with this film is its run time. It gets an outstretched ending which content wise too is weak and hence towards the end, you wait to alight this cruise.

Another problem for the film is its utterly mediocre music which helps in no way to cut down on the already slow course of the story. Akhtar manages to hold ends tight in the story in the second half but they still fall apart. While the first 15 minutes of the film are just for the introduction of its characters, the ship seems to be already running late as the first half drags to intermission.

Overall what works for the film is its entire look, as they look chic and fabulous and hence you can’t get enough of the Mehras.

Dil Dhadakne Do Review: The Last Word

Dil Dhadakne Do is not everyone’s cup of tea. It is a high society drama that may tackle regular family issues too but may not suffice as entertainment for all. I am going with a 3/5 for this niche family drama.